Wedding Day Timelines

You have probably heard that your wedding day goes by too quickly. It does. You want all the images you have imagined without taking too much time away from your guests. Here is how the pieces fit, based on more than 30 years of wedding days, followed by two sample timelines - one traditional and one with a first look.

What stretches a timeline

Size of the wedding party. The more people standing with you, the greater the chance someone is late or forgot something - like their tux.

Number of locations. Account for driving time, and for how long it takes to get a group of people packed up and into vehicles. It is amazing.

Dinner format. A buffet can be done in about 1.5 hours; a full-service multi-course meal runs closer to 2.5.

Number of guests. This does not always work the way you would think. Smaller, more intimate weddings lead to longer conversations with guests, and those chats can run a little long.

How long each part takes

• Getting ready: 30 minutes for one partner, 60 for the other. If you are both getting ready at the same location, the two of us split up - leave 60 to 90 minutes.
• First look: 10 minutes.
• Wedding party photos: 30 to 45 minutes.
• Couple's portraits: 45 to 60 minutes.
• Ceremony: 20 to 60 minutes. Most civil ceremonies are under 20 minutes; a full church wedding can run over an hour. Right after the ceremony is a great time for a quick picture with all your guests - about 5 minutes.
• Family portraits: 20 to 45 minutes.
• Twilight sneak-out: 10 minutes.
• Reception: 2 to 4 hours.

A traditional timeline (3 pm ceremony)

• 12:00 - Getting ready, first partner
• 12:45 - Getting ready, second partner
• 2:15 - Travel to the ceremony
• 3:00 - Ceremony
• 3:45 - Family pictures
• 4:15 - Wedding party pictures
• 5:00 - Couple's portraits
• 5:45 - Back to the reception to freshen up
• 6:00 - Grand entrance
• 6:30 - Dinner
• 8:30 - Speeches
• 8:45 - Cake cutting
• 9:00 - First dance
• 9:15 - Sneak out for twilight pictures
• 9:25 - Dancing

What about a first look?

It is not for everyone (or everyone's mom), but seeing each other before the ceremony is a great way to streamline the day. We set up the moment where you see each other dressed in your finest for the first time. It can be every bit as touching as it would be during the ceremony, it makes for great pictures, and it means most of the photography is done early, leaving more time to celebrate with your guests.

A first-look timeline (5 pm ceremony)

• 12:00 - Getting ready, first partner
• 12:45 - Getting ready, second partner
• 2:15 - First look
• 2:20 - Wedding party pictures
• 3:15 - Couple's portraits
• 4:00 - Family pictures
• 4:45 - Freshen up for the ceremony
• 5:00 - Ceremony
• 5:30 - Cocktail hour
• 6:30 - Dinner
• 8:30 - Speeches
• 8:45 - Cake cutting
• 9:00 - First dance
• 9:15 - Sneak out for twilight pictures
• 9:25 - Dancing

Hire a professional

Want to take away the pressure of building the schedule? Talk with a wedding planner. They work with all your vendors and keep things on track through the day. It is like hiring someone to worry for you.

We are glad to help with the photography parts of your timeline. Get in touch and we will work through it together.